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What, what?? You are using financial aid money to buy trucks, trailers, and vacations? What about the prior posts where you said that your student loans barely covered tuition or your school didn't even have financial aid?

Wow. And people say that student loan debt should be forgiven.

So I did read that right. And FP took donations from people which she now offers to return if they are unsatisfied?

Originally Posted by RedMare01

People, please. Can we not do this again?

No one knows the whole story and I really fail to see how what FP is doing or not doing affects those stamping their pitchforks the loudest in any way, shape, or form.

If someone chooses to do or live their life in a way that you do not agree with, so what? It doesn't make them wrong. Just make a mental note not to send them a Christmas card and move on. Geez.

The second thing is none of my business as I didn't send money to FP.

But the first? I work in higher ed. Not cool using student loans this way. Not cool advertising it for other reasons.

I'm all for lives lived interestingly as FP has. I'm even for people sharing about that. But it seems a bit misleading of that adventure is built on the deception of others.

I wanted to clarify something that reflects the above is true--as I posted on the other thread, I realized it wasn't a PM I sent FP that was awaiting reply (she replied to my one PM to her)--it was a question on a thread I now cannot find. She had been asking about girths and a saddle (I think), and I happened to have the very size she was looking for (a 46). I posted a question to the thread and was thinking I'd include the girth with the other minor items, but did not get a reply. I assumed it was just because she was off on her adventure; I've just been waiting for her to come back to check in and see if she still needed the items. I cannot find the thread now (which isn't saying it's gone; I just could not locate it).

It was No Big Question or anything, just a simple check before sending things off (I don't even remember exactly what the question was). I started the other thread to simply check in, and uh, wow.

How on earth does one wrack up 300k in debt, unless that includes a mortgage? Hopefully did she graduate from some vet school but it 's practically impossible to pay off that much debt and have a place to live.

How on earth does one wrack up 300k in debt, unless that includes a mortgage? Hopefully did she graduate from some vet school but it 's practically impossible to pay off that much debt and have a place to live.

Professional school-- JD, DVM, MD-- can cost that much. IIRC, you can borrow up to the amount of tuition owed. Then remember that you need to pay your own living expenses for those 3+ years.

How on earth does one wrack up 300k in debt, unless that includes a mortgage? Hopefully did she graduate from some vet school but it 's practically impossible to pay off that much debt and have a place to live.

It's not particularly uncommon these days to have student loans in the hundreds of thousands, unfortunately. I have a friend finishing up her MD, and she is well over 200K in debt. And that is with most of her undergrad degree on scholarship and a hubby paying most living expenses.

Ever notice that these sleuthing/trainwreck/pile-on threads always have several posts from the same people? It's as if they relish the opportunity to really shred someone. Maybe FP isn't on the up-and-up, I don't know. But there's something disturbing about the amount of enjoyment that the usual suspects seem to get when they smell the chum.

No doubt some folks are already picking through the class records at the St. Kitts' vet school.

I seem to recall she started at St Kitts but did not like some of their policies so she transferred to another Caribbean vet school...
Frankly, I don't care. I do believe her and I do think she needed the break and to find her footing again. Seriously, she could have found a very cheap fare to Europe (they do exist), she has a eurailpass and she stays with people ... she is not going to the Ritz/Carlton...
I am glad for her and hope she really enjoys her vacation and is ready to settle and work as hard as she has ever done.
and yes... it's always the same posters...

Just to clarify from what I know. She did attend Ross University in St. Kitts, but did not like the island. Its not for some people. Personally, I love it and the school.

She transfered to St. Matthew's which last I knew did not accept federal financial aid. I would assume there you do your clinical year in the states like we do at Ross. So, no she would not be in the picture of the NC vet school grad picture. She would graduate from St. Matthew's.

And yes 300k is sadly not unreasonable in this day and age. I am already over 200k in debt and that does not include the loans that I will need to take out to cover my clinical year and I have no undergrad debt. No, I am not borrowing in excess. Cost of living here is very high. I am hoping to take less each semester, but something always needs fixing on my car etc...

I love cats, I love every single cat....
So anyway I am a cat lover And I love to run.

Of course the sensible thing would be to get settled in a job, work for a year until you earned vacation time and money for a trip and then go. BUT if (for example) you are inches from a nervous breakdown sometimes you have to re-arrange things a bit. And once you get on the working hamster wheel you'd be amazed at how hard it can be to get away for a weekend or a week, much less an extended time. Your time is no longer your own.

I don't think it is right to use student loans and grants for anything but tuition, books and basic living expenses but I know a BUNCH of people do this. It doesn't sound like she is traveling on the high end and this may in fact be the only time she ever gets to see the world. I always thought I'd have a chance when I was older to take an actual vacation that wasn't to see family, go to a funeral or go to Breyerfest which when you are paying your way by selling not really such a vacation! And then things changed radically as they sometimes do and now I probably will not get a chance to do the things I thought I could do "later" because now it IS later and while I love my current job it is soft money so I no longer have that retirement thing to count on! If I had known how things would go, I'd have done things a lot differently.

Ever notice that these sleuthing/trainwreck/pile-on threads always have several posts from the same people? It's as if they relish the opportunity to really shred someone.

You're right. They are the same people. Basically, village gossips, making dire conclusions based on incomplete information and then broadcasting it under the guise of being worried about morality or ethics.

I don't post much, but I've been here a while enough to see their feeding frenzies. I think sex or drugs would probably calm them down. Or, maybe, having a life.

Getting in to your 'in-state' CVM is about the only way to reduce debt load UNLESS your in-state school is one which charges the same for in-state/out-of-state tuition. Most vet students come out around $250,000 in debt and that figure goes up every year.